BuildingEnergy 15 Schedule: Sessions

Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Session Title Time Session Speakers Areas of Focus
Opening Plenary With Keynote Address: Rethinking The Grid - How Our Changing Electrical System Will Impact The Ways We Produce, Distribute And Use Energy

Most of us take the electrical grid for granted. But it is perhaps the most complex technological achievement in human history.

1:45 pm to 3:30 pm

Renewables

Cities, Communities, Place

Beyond Energy*

Recent Research in Behavior: Boosting Energy Performance in Buildings

 Why do we need to pay attention to behavior in buildings?

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Multifamily

Beyond Energy*

Rethinking the Grid - Q&A

Intrigued by the plenary speakers and their visions for the future?

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Renewables

Cities, Communities, Place

Beyond Energy*

Getting to Zero: High Performance Mechanical Systems and Other Strategies for Commercial Buildings in Cold Climates

Significantly reducing energy use in commercial buildings is a challenge. Doing so in cold climates even more so. Getting to Net Zero Energy use in these climates, now that’s what we call a tough... Full Description

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Commercial & Institutional

Design & Construction process

Mechanical systems & lighting

Building Community Resilience in Cities

In the face of extreme weather conditions, the practice of Building Energy must undergo two transformations: (1) What we do differently to alter the built environment;(2)how we better connect... Full Description

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Cities, Communities, Place

Beyond Energy*

Super Insulated Walls and Moisture: Does Bad Stuff Happen?

High-R or super-insulated walls are a common component of high performance housing.

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Single family

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Beyond Energy*

Putting Attention Where it is Needed Most - Building Resiliency in Multi-family Affordable Housing

A number of multifamily affordable housing developments in the New York City area were hard-hit by Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Cities, Communities, Place

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Beyond Energy*

Design/Build and Integrated Project Management 101 - Are you ready?

For many teams, it is an almost impossible challenge to simultaneously deliver high performance and cost efficient buildings while maintaining high customer satisfaction and profitability.

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Single family

Owners

Commercial & Institutional

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

A Place in the Sun: Why We (Still) Need Solar Optimized Design

As low energy, super insulated enclosures become more prevalent, some industry leaders question the continued relevance of passive solar design.

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Single family

Renewables

Design & Construction process

Resiliency: The Cynical Optimist's Path to a Better World

Resiliency has become about how many inches or feet of sea rise we will experience before 2100. It's currently a data driven goal, but it should not be. What about past 2100?

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Cities, Communities, Place

Beyond Energy*

Balancing Historic Preservation and Energy Performance

Historic New England’s approach to weatherization emphasizes preservation over intervention.

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Single family

Commercial & Institutional

Cities, Communities, Place

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Beyond Energy*

Enlightened Structures: Reducing Material-Based Carbon Emissions

The role of a building's structure, and of the structural engineer, in achieving sustainability goals is frequently marginalized.

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Beyond Utility Bills: Energy Data Collection

The use of utility bills to benchmark building performance is a critical first step in any approach to energy conservation.

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Owners

Multifamily

Mechanical systems & lighting

Is it All Hot Air: Ventilating Homes, Why? How Much? and How?

Why do we need to ventilate homes? How much air do we need to do it? Once we’ve figured that out, what systems should we install?

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Single family

Design & Construction process

Mechanical systems & lighting

Beyond Energy*

Islands of Power – Microgrids Enabling Technology for Energy Resiliency

While the concept of microgrids and their attributes continue to generate hype, there are few guidelines on microgrid best planning and implementation practices.

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Renewables

Cities, Communities, Place

Solar Air Heating 2.0

You think trombe walls are a relic of the 70s, right? Using extensive data from multiple case studies throughout Maine, New Hampshire & Massachusetts, including a high school, a fire station... Full Description

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Mechanical systems & lighting

It Takes A City: Lessons from Somerville's Residential Energy Efficiency Program

In 2011, Somerville launched a city-wide residential energy efficiency program aimed at a difficult-to reach demographic: middle income rental properties.

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Cities, Communities, Place

Multifamily

Building Science Puzzles

At BuildingGreen, I spend about one-fifth of my time doing building investigations, mostly residential. In this session, I will present the building assessment information for a series of... Full Description

9:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Single family

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Beyond Energy*

Making the Financial Case for Net Zero Buildings

The presentation illustrates the financial prudence of net zero buildings today.

9:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Owners

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Mechanical systems & lighting

Creating a Culture of Energy Responsibility: How to Move Americans to Make the Right Moves

Americans say energy efficiency and renewables are important, and that they’re worried about their ability to pay for energy in the future, our dependence on foreign countries and depleting... Full Description

9:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Single family

Beyond Energy*

The Building Science of Multifamily Passive House

This session will explore the building science implications of achieving the Passive House metrics for larger buildings and will highlight the difference in design strategies compared to single... Full Description

9:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Single family

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Mechanical systems & lighting

Beyond Energy*

Sustainable Solar Policy

With net metering and clean energy policy being challenged across the country, the solar community needs to develop more sustainable solutions that reflect the real cost and benefit impacts that... Full Description

9:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Renewables

Owners

How to Heat Water in All-Electric Homes and Apartments

With the drop in envelope loads and the rise in efficient heat pumps (even in cold climates), quite a few homes are moving away from fossil fuels towards electric HVAC.

9:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Single family

Renewables

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Mechanical systems & lighting

Urban Food Production, Distribution and Energy Recovery

As architects, engineers, and municipal planners, how can we rethink the built environment to install more urban food production and distribution in the city?

9:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Renewables

Commercial & Institutional

Cities, Communities, Place

Beyond Energy*

Footprinting Our Projects & Operations

High-performance building standards and goals typically focus on operating energy. But how much energy does it take to build (or retrofit) that high performance building, or operate your company... Full Description

9:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Single family

Cities, Communities, Place

Design & Construction process

Beyond Energy*

Thursday, March 5, 2015
Session Title Time Session Speakers Areas of Focus
The All Glass Building - Is Energy Efficiency Possible?

While glass buildings continue to rise throughout our cities, the question of their sustainability remains.

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Lies, Damned Lies and Green Building Standards

Never get the R-15 wool insulation pulled over your eyes again! Separating green from greenwash is getting harder as standards proliferate.

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Single family

Commercial & Institutional

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Beyond Energy*

H2-Uh-Oh: Moisture Risks and How to Manage Them

Do you understand moisture dynamics? Do you have a comprehensive plan to control moisture in your buildings?

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Single family

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Beyond Energy*

Renewable Energy Powering Local Self-Reliance: Case Studies from Germany

Over 150 villages in Germany produce all of the electricity and most of the heat they consume.  In these so-called "bioenergy villages," renewable energy systems are driving economic growth.  ... Full Description

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Renewables

Owners

Cities, Communities, Place

Beyond Energy*

Efficient Cities: Are Ordinances, Competitions and Planning Efforts Helping?

Cities across the country have enacted benchmarking laws, organized carbon challenges, and engaged in ambitions planning. We will discuss how these efforts are faring.

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Commercial & Institutional

Cities, Communities, Place

Multifamily

Mechanical systems & lighting

Beyond Energy*

Applying Passive House Principles to 160 Units of Affordable Housing - Lessons Learned

Fairfax Gardens was a 150 unit dilapidated public housing development in Taunton, MA.

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Mechanical systems & lighting

Beyond Energy*

Dematerialization Applied

As a follow-up to "Dematerializing Buildings" at BE14, this session will explore how the dematerialization and lightweighting of buildings is being put into practice.

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Design & Construction process

Beyond Energy*

Community Energy Footprints: Taking Residential Efficiency to Scale

For all the Non Net Zero Homes out there, how can energy tracking at the community level help achieve 2030 goals? Four diverse building pros share lessons learned from their experience tracking... Full Description

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Single family

Commercial & Institutional

Cities, Communities, Place

Beyond Energy*

Efficiency Financing: The Current Landscape and Future Possibilities

Energy efficiency financing is a complex topic, with numerous options for borrowers, and challenges in risk assessment. We will unravel this topic and consider how data-driven tools might improve... Full Description

3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Owners

Commercial & Institutional

Multifamily

Sensible Solutions to Latent Problems: Managing Humidity in High Performance Homes

Low-load homes struggle with summertime humidity more than conventional homes, and the Northeast isn’t getting any less tropical.  Let’s get ready.  We will consider how latent and sensible loads... Full Description

3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Single family

Design & Construction process

Mechanical systems & lighting

Installing commercial windows and curtain walls without thermal bridges, air or water leaks

This session will look at the basic shapes of aluminum and fiberglass products used for frames, and identify the basic principles to be used to develop functional details for both new and retrofit... Full Description

3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

LEDing the Lighting Revolution Part 1: How Many Light Bulbs Will it Take?

If LEDs are the next best thing, why do so many building professionals still feel “in the dark” about the technology? Welcome to modern lighting where counter-intuitive chaotic tension is the... Full Description

3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Single family

Commercial & Institutional

Multifamily

Mechanical systems & lighting

Reinventing the Water Grid Part I: Science, Behavior & Dollars

This session is in two parts.Water is scarcer. Systems for both fresh and waste water are vulnerable. Water standards are increasingly stringent to protect ecosystems and public health.

3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Renewables

Owners

Cities, Communities, Place

Mechanical systems & lighting

Beyond Energy*

Lessons from Scandinavia (Part 1)

Paul, Chris, Andy, Tom and Heather went to Scandinavia to learn about what the Swedes and Danes are doing about climate change.

3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Cities, Communities, Place

Beyond Energy*

Close the Windows! Changing Occupant behavior with Heat Pumps and Individual Metering

Advances in building envelopes and HVAC equipment enable widespread use of air source heat pumps by many in the "Net Zero Energy" and "Passive House" movements.

3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Owners

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Mechanical systems & lighting

Responding to the Buckminster Fuller Challenge

The Buckminster Fuller Challenge invites today’s practitioners to answer his call "to make the world work for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation,... Full Description

3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Cities, Communities, Place

Design & Construction process

Beyond Energy*

The Future of Homebuilding Can't Wait: Making Sustainable, Low Energy Dwellings the Norm

It is said that homebuilding can look back at 300 years of history unimpeded by progress. It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the energy-sucking, defect prone truth is unacceptable.

5:30 pm to 6:45 pm

Single family

Design & Construction process

Beyond Energy*

Tiny Bubbles: The Deal With Spray Foam

“Is Foam Evil?”—that’s how this session was originally titled. Saner heads prevailed: foam is so highly insulating, so airtight, so slick on the jobsite, how could we ask such a question? Wait—it’... Full Description

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Single family

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Beyond Energy*

LEDing the Lighting Revolution Part 2: Advanced Strategies both Efficient and Smart

What is the ultimate in LED lighting today? Our speakers are now combining the best fixtures with the smartest controls to drive total energy savings to 80-90% or more, indoors and outdoors.... Full Description

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Single family

Commercial & Institutional

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Mechanical systems & lighting

Multifamily Ventilation 302

Central ventilation systems in multifamily buildings are a vital building system that often compromises overall building performance (ie they don’t perform to code almost 100% of the time).

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Design & Construction process

Multifamily

Mechanical systems & lighting

Minisplit Heat Pumps: Lessons from the Field

Minisplit heat pumps are now used in most high performance homes in New England. Kohta monitored eight homes built by Transformations and Marc has over sixty homes and non-residential buildings... Full Description

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Single family

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Mechanical systems & lighting

Inside and Out: Integrated Building Facade and HVAC Design

This session provides an overview of the interactions between the building façade and HVAC systems. By distilling this subject into macro and micro level themes, we hope to broaden the... Full Description

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Commercial & Institutional

Building envelope

Design & Construction process

Mechanical systems & lighting

Lessons from Scandinavia (Part 2)

Paul, Chris, Andy, Tom and Heather went to Scandinavia to learn about what the Swedes and Danes are doing about climate change.

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Cities, Communities, Place

Beyond Energy*

Reinventing the Water Grid Part II: Nutrient Recycling and Other Opportunities for Fun & Profit

Session two will dig deeper into two solutions – both fresher paths forward than the expensive model of centralized-systems solutions.

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Renewables

Owners

Cities, Communities, Place

Mechanical systems & lighting

Beyond Energy*

Inspiring Change: Campus Mission and the Living Building Challenge

The RW Kern Center is designed to embody Hampshire College’s mission of fostering positive change in the world—and to meet the Living Building Challenge.

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Commercial & Institutional

Cities, Communities, Place

Design & Construction process

Closing Forum: 100 Years of Experience

The closing forum will feature 6 Pecha Kucha 20x20 presentations (20 slides, each for 20 seconds) followed by a discussion moderated by Matt Root.

9:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Owners

Design & Construction process

Beyond Energy*